Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 289 Is this a raid on their home or a rebellion?

"They're raiding your house!"

Someone in the ranks shouted, and the drill ground erupted in a burst of suppressed laughter.

The hundred riders were all eager to fight, and the once solemn drill ground was now bustling with activity, like a bustling market.

They had a fight at Zheng Yuanzhu's residence a few days ago, but they didn't feel satisfied at all.

Only by raiding homes or going out with the young master to investigate cases can one loosen up their muscles and bones.

Standing on the high platform, Wen He looked down at the group of wolves and tigers below and couldn't help but touch his nose.

Huang Chunqing, standing beside him, cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping across the crowd before finally settling on Wen He's face, his eyes filled with a mixture of helplessness and heartache.

How did this kid turn the once-powerful Hundred Riders into this state?

Wen He was puzzled by his gaze and muttered to herself.

Why is Lao Huang staring at me like that?
"Everyone assembled?"

He turned to ask Zhang Wenxiao beside him, who was grinning and rubbing his hands together, his smile never fading.

"Young master, everyone is here!"

Zhang Wenxiao's voice was so loud it made people's ears ring.

"Cough cough."

Huang Chun coughed heavily twice, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a mosquito.

In official settings, one should refer to one's official title or position.

These words were ostensibly addressed to Zhang Wenxiao, but in reality, they were a warning to Wen He.

Wen Jiaying has been getting increasingly unruly lately, constantly referring to "Old Huang" as a nickname.

As a result, Xu Jingzong also became disrespectful, even addressing him in front of everyone last time.

Zhang Wenxiao paused for a moment, looked at Huang Chun's tense face, then glanced at Wen He's nonchalant expression, and chuckled dryly, "Yes, advisor and supervisor."

"Alright, alright, what job? I'm planting trees."

Wen He rolled her eyes and patted Zhang Wenxiao on the shoulder.

"Tell the brothers to mount their horses. Zhang Wenxiao, ride with me on one horse, let's go!"

Old Huang must have taken the wrong medicine today; he's putting on airs over the smallest things.

Huang Chun could only sigh inwardly as he watched Wen He mount his horse.

The spirit of the Hundred Riders will be corrupted by this kid sooner or later.

"set off!"

At Wen He's command, the hundred riders cheered and mounted their horses, the clatter of hooves echoing like thunder rolling across the ground.

They escorted Wen He's mount, heading towards Xuanwu Gate in a grand procession. Anyone who didn't know the situation would think they were going to war.

Upon arriving at Xuanwu Gate, Zhang Shigui, the gatekeeper, was so frightened that he nearly smashed his teacup.

He was standing on the city wall, drinking tea.

Suddenly, a deafening sound of horses' hooves was heard.

Peeking out, I saw dozens of riders charging towards me menacingly, their eyes gleaming and their killing intent palpable.

He thought something had happened in the palace, or that there was a mutiny among the soldiers, and he grabbed the adjutant beside him in a panic: "Quick! Quickly, get the soldiers to draw their bows! Prepare to defend against the enemy!"

The soldiers on the city wall hurriedly nocked their arrows, the arrowheads gleaming coldly, ready to be aimed at the approaching enemy.

Wen He saw it from afar on horseback, quickly pulled on the reins, and shouted, "It's me, Wen He, the Hundred Riders!"

Zhang Shigui squinted and looked closely, and saw that the leader was indeed the boy who often came and went.

Seeing that he was followed by a hundred riders, he breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and quickly ordered his men to lower their bows and let him pass: "So it's Magistrate Wen. Is this... official business?"

"By imperial decree, we are confiscating your property." Wen He pulled on the reins and smiled.

Zhang Shigui then noticed that all the riders had ropes and shackles hanging from their saddles, and they were all rubbing their hands together in anticipation. He suddenly realized what was going on and quickly waved his hand, saying, "Please come in, please come in!"

He thought to himself, "It's just a house raid, why all this fuss, like they're on steroids? Are they trying to raid my house or stage a rebellion?"

After exiting Xuanwu Gate and crossing the moat, Wen He suddenly raised his hand to signal the group to stop.

In the middle of the road ahead, a lone rider stood.

A young man dressed in gleaming armor, with a sword at his waist and a face full of heroic spirit, rode his horse and blocked the road, staring at them with piercing eyes.

'Su Dingfang?'

Wen He's gaze fell on the person who had just arrived, and she recognized him at a glance.

Although several months had passed since they last met, the young general's battle-hardened spirit was even stronger than when they first met in Huizhou City.

Su Dingfang clearly recognized Wen He as well. He reined in his horse and stopped a few steps away from Wen He.

He bowed respectfully, his voice booming like a bell: "Greetings, Magistrate of Gaoyang. I have come here on His Majesty's orders to accompany the Hundred Cavalry to the Zheng family residence."

He didn't directly say that he was there to take up a post, since the imperial decree hadn't been issued yet and the Ministry of Personnel hadn't registered him.

Therefore, he is not officially recognized as one of the Hundred Riders yet.

As he spoke, his gaze subtly swept over the hundred riders behind Wen He.

These men were burly and fierce, with an air of arrogance on their faces and a ruthless glint in their eyes, resembling a pack of wild wolves just released from the mountains.

A hint of surprise flashed in Su Dingfang's eyes, which then turned into a look of joy.

Although he had long heard of the Hundred Riders, he always thought they were just guards around the emperor, at most some skilled attendants, not a real army.

Moreover, he was already somewhat uneasy about the Emperor's sudden decree appointing him as the Inspector General of the Hundred Cavalry.

This title of Inspector General of the Central Army appears to be a general of the central army, but it is only a rank of the fourth grade, the same as Xu Jingzong.

There was also Wen He in the team, who was young but had made great military achievements. It would be a lie to say that he was not resentful at all. Before Li Jing left, he specifically reminded him: "Although the Hundred Cavalry is new, it is full of hidden talents, especially Wen Jiaying, who should not be underestimated. If you want to truly take control of this team, you must first win his approval."

He didn't care much at the time, but seeing the spirit and energy of the hundred riders, his resentment dissipated by more than half.

"Greetings, General of the Household."

Wen He smiled and returned the greeting with a cupped-hand salute, her posture neither humble nor arrogant.

In any case, Su Dingfang would become the superior of the Hundred Cavalry in the future, and this man was indeed capable and worthy of his respect.

He turned around and raised his voice to the Hundred Cavalrymen behind him: "Brothers, listen up! His Majesty has issued a decree that General Su will be our Hundred Cavalry's Inspector General from now on. All of you, be on your guard!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wenxiao and the others immediately wiped the smiles off their faces and were all taken aback.

Changsun Huan, who was accompanying him, was even more astonished and subconsciously shrank back.

Now things are really bad. His status as the chief clerk has been downgraded by another level, and he will probably have even less say among the hundred riders from now on.

Sigh, whatever, it was my own choice to come to Hundred Riders in the first place.

"Greetings, General!"

The hundred riders bowed in unison, their voices not particularly respectful, but carrying a straightforward and fierce air.

Especially those three people, including Dugu Chen.

They were all born into prominent families and were naturally arrogant.

The reason they obey Wen He now is because they've been tamed; as for this newly arrived Lieutenant General...

Let's show off our skills first.

Su Dingfang returned the greeting with a cupped hand, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and said in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, there's no need for such formalities. From now on, we'll be in the same camp, so we're comrades-in-arms. I only recognize ability, nothing else."

"It's getting late, let's set off now," Wen He said with a smile, trying to smooth things over.

"After we finish confiscating their property, we'll return and host a welcome banquet for General Su, and have the brothers drink a few cups with the general!"

Su Dingfang paused for a moment, then chuckled and nodded: "Alright."

Although he was a new official, he knew he couldn't exactly make a splash like a new broom sweeping clean.

He knew in his heart that although he had been appointed to this position through military merit, in terms of his importance in the emperor's heart, he was probably not as important as the young man in front of him.

The gunpowder incident alone was enough to make Wen He a marquis of ten thousand households. If compared with others of the same age, he probably wouldn't be eligible for the position of Inspector of a Hundred Cavalry.

"set off!"

Wen He raised his arm and shouted, and the hundred riders immediately let out a loud wolf howl.

Su Dingfang was slightly taken aback by what he saw.

That wildness, that drive, is simply the mark of a born tiger!

He suddenly remembered the time when he launched a surprise attack on Jieli. If he had had such a force back then, he would have been able to strike at the heart of the enemy, capture their generals and seize their flags, and Jieli would not have escaped.

Pity……

He sighed to himself.

It's a real waste of talent for such an elite cavalry unit to be trapped in Chang'an as a guard.

However, he remembered that when he was in Huizhou, these hundred riders did not seem to be this fierce.

Otherwise, the Duke of Dai wouldn't have placed them in the rear guard.

He remembered that the Ministry of War had been urging Wen He to report for duty, apparently to train the Left Garrison.

But Wenhe kept claiming illness and didn't go.

So, it is said that the training of these hundred riders was personally overseen by this magistrate of Gaoyang County?
Su Dingfang and Wen He rode side by side on their horses, with Su Dingfang glancing at Wen He from time to time.

Wen He looked relaxed and was talking to Zhang Wenxiao, which made the latter laugh heartily.

Su Dingfang suddenly felt that perhaps coming to work for the Hundred Cavalry was not a bad thing.

At least, with such a group of brave brothers around me, and a colleague who doesn't play by the rules but always manages to win unexpectedly, life shouldn't be too boring.

After passing through the bustling city center, the flow of people gradually decreased.

Wen He immediately gave the order, instructing the hundred riders to speed up.

The procession marched in a grand procession toward the Zheng family mansion in Xingyang.

Not long after, the patrol leader of the market was almost scared to death by the hundred cavalrymen.

"Why are those thugs here again?!"

He plopped down on the ground. Not long ago, a hundred horsemen raided Zheng Yuanzhu's residence and killed more than a hundred people, which gave him nightmares for two days.

It was thought that the matter would be over after Zheng Yuanzhu was taken away.

To my utter surprise, these killing gods have returned.

Upon seeing the hundred riders in the market, they all turned and went back to their homes.

Upon seeing this, Wen He couldn't help but chuckle.

'Since when have riders become a means to stop a crying baby?'

Before long, they arrived at Zheng Yuanzhu's residence.

The place had long been surrounded by the Imperial Guards, and everyone inside was imprisoned in the mansion.

The Dali Temple had already issued an order prohibiting unauthorized personnel from entering or leaving.

But when Wen He arrived, she found a person standing in front of the mansion gate.

The man was not old, only in his early twenties. When he saw Wen He and the others, he walked over to them.

"Zheng Yunzhu, a scholar from Xingyang, has met with the magistrate of Gaoyang County."

(End of this chapter)